Towards precise classification of cancers based on robust gene functional expression profiles
Chemists say they have identified a gene that appears to play a key role in the development of type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes, a disease that affects about one million people in the U.S. and is on the rise worldwide. They described their findings, which they say could lead to new drug interventions and possibly gene therapy, today at the 229th national meeti...Virologists make major step towards understanding the process of HIV infection
A working group of virologists headed by Professor Hans-Georg Kräusslich at Heidelberg University Hospitals, jointly with Professor Hanswalter Zentgraf, Division of Applied Tumor Virology of the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ), have been the first to label Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) for visual investigations without inhibiting the functional charac...Cats' indifference towards sugar explained
Unlike most mammals, cats--both domestic and wild--are indifferent to sweets. A new study in PLoS Genetics explains the molecular mechanism behind their strictly carnivorous behavior. "We took a behavioral question and answered it molecularly," says Joseph Brand, senior author of the study and Associate Director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center. Scattered on mammalian tongues are speci...Survey Uncovers Surprising Attitudes Towards HIV Vaccine Research
A survey of U.S. adults has found that a majority believe that HIV vaccines are the best hope for controlling the global AIDS epidemic and are confident such vaccines can be made. But while most of those surveyed felt it personally important to help support HIV vaccine research, a majority expressed reluctance to support a friend or family member’s participation in an HIV vaccine clinical trial.<...A new step towards an AIDS vaccine
Progressive disease after HIV infection is inversely correlated with the presence of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), a subset of the dendritic cell family and the major producers of type 1 interferon in the body. High numbers of pDCs is related to successful control of HIV. In a paper appearing online on October 13 in advance of print publication of the November issue of the Journal of Cli...Unravelling the secrets of ‘Huntingtin’ Protein - towards the treatment of ‘Huntingtons’ Disase
Huntingtons disease is an inherited disease of the nervous system due to the progressive gradual deterioration of the same, initially causing symptoms such as involuntary movements and balance problems and later on leading to declination of functions of speech as well. All these days, until now, it was thought that this disease is due to a mutated form of the protein 'huntingtin' which i...Unravelling the secrets of ‘Huntingtin’ Protein - towards the treatment of Huntingtins’ Disese
Huntingtons disease is an inherited disease of the nervous system due to the progressive gradual deterioration of the same, initially causing symptoms such as involuntary movements and balance problems and later on leading to declination of functions of speech as well. All these days, until now, it was thought that this disease is due to a mutated form of the protein 'huntingtin' which i...Looking Towards More Effective Leukemia Treatment
Eighty percent of the time childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia is curable with chemotherapy. The bad news is doctors are not sure // why it doesn’t work for the other 20 percent of patients. Now, new research finds it could be because of a small number of genes that are resistant to drugs used to treat the disease. Researchers tested leukemia cells from 173 children. They looked at...Attitude Towards AIDS Patients – Time For A Change
It is one of the tragedies of our society that persons infected with HIV/AIDS not only have to bear the burden of their illness - which any person with any illness must do - but also have to face the torment of discrimination and stigma // . Our attitude to the disease rests largely on ignorance regarding the disease inspite of the massive awareness campaigns that has been conducted so f...Scientists Awarded Appropriately For Contribution Towards Medical Research
Science is usually viewed with awe, not to mention a little fear or suspicion; it is perceived as a realm that most people cannot understand, let alone hope to enter. Such an // approach can be dangerous if they can affect public policy concerning the use of science. If the public is to have a say in developing guidelines for dealing with certain scientific problems, it should fist hav...